


Ma Petite Feuille D'érable

by Snowgem33



Category: Elfen Lied, Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Adoption, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-03-13
Packaged: 2019-11-04 17:17:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17902271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snowgem33/pseuds/Snowgem33
Summary: By a twist of fate, Kaede is adopted before the bullies can kill her puppy. But the CCG is beginning to recruit her kind to hunt Ghouls....





	Ma Petite Feuille D'érable

**Author's Note:**

> So, I wrote this a while back and posted it on the Quotev account I shared with my sister. This the edited version. The original is still on Quotev if you feel like checking that out.  
> Please note that I've only seen the anime for both series and have not read the manga for either. I'm familiar with the contents of the TG manga due to fanfiction but I never really got into EL fanfics. Also, it has been a while since I've seen either anime, so please keep that in mind as well.  
> If I remember correctly the title was supposedly "My Little Maple Leaf" in French, but I got it through Google Translate, so accuracy is shaky.

The orphanage had been more tense than usual lately. Apparently, some random 'generous' (in reality, he probably as time as he did money) rich man was going to donate a large sum of money to the orphanage so the children could get better care and 'have their spirits lifted'.

Kaede almost would've laughed bitterly if it didn't mean she'd be dropping her cool composure. The adults around the orphanage would probably squirrel away the money for their own personal gain and claim they got scammed.

But that wasn't all...The man, Mirumo Tsukiyama, was looking to adopt a child as well; so his son could have a 'playmate'. _Playmate_....The wording of a father who obviously either didn't have the time or simply couldn't be bothered to spend time with his child. The father of a child who was probably so bratty that the servants demanded a raise every day they spent with the kid. So bratty that not even the servants' children could stand him.

On that day, the man and his son were to come and get to know the children of the orphanage and  _hopefully_ take one away from the hell hole they lived in. Kaede only stayed present long enough to greet the two outsiders (Ultramine hair– Kaede had never seen anyone with unnatural hair like hers before) with the other children before sneaking away to her puppy; knowing full well there wasn't a chance in hell she'd ever be considered a viable canidate– much less someone ( _something_ ) that other people wanted near their kids. Many others who would've been in Kaede's place would've felt bitter and lonely. But Kaede had long since grown tired of those two emotions, forcing herself to not feel at all. Although, if and when the outsiders left with some of her tormentors (and Kaede hoped more than one would leave), even if the children didn't deserve that sort of happiness, Kaede would feel very pleased. There'd be less miserable little shits around to blame all of their lives hardships on her.

The only person Kaede would be sort of disappointed to see leave was the girl who help her clean her bag when Tomo and his flunkies poured milk on it. She didn't even know the girl's name, much less interacted with her before or after she became known to Kaede as a possible friend. But some part of Kaede's already cracked heart would shatter if she lost a chance at easy happiness.

The reason why she hadn't interacted with the girl after she help clean her bag was because it was too easy. Too convenient. Everything in life comes with a price. And even if the girl's offer of friendship was genuine, would Kaede truly gain any form of happiness?

As the horned girl played with 'her' puppy, she heard the orphanages back door open and shut. She clenched her teeth and stiffened, leaning over the puppy a bit more. It barked cutely and tried to stand on it's hind legs so it could lick Kaede's face. The unmistakable sound of footsteps, coming to an abrupt stop, and then–

"I've been looking for you! You really do have horns! _Trés bein_!" an unfamiliar voice exclaimed.

Despite herself, Kaede jolted. In her lifetime many people had the redundant tendency to point out her horns-- but no one had ever sounded so ( _creepy_ ) delighted. Kaede's eye narrowed and her hands balled into fists. Scowling, she turned to face Mirumo Tsukiyama's son.

"What does it matter to you, _rich boy_?" Kaede inquired in monotone.

"I've never seen such a genetic mutation on a human before! And no human I've ever seen has had pink hair! Tell me, does it naturally grow that color?" the boy exclaimed curiously.

Kaede almost told the boy to shove off but stopped before she could even open her mouth. Human...this boy thought she was....human? And the way he had said it was so weird-- as if he were separate from Humanity entirely.

"What makes you think I'm human?" Even though she managed to keep a monotone voice, her words came out shaky. The ultramine haired boy tilted his head to the side, curiously– mischievously.

"There are animals like your little puppy behind you–" as if on cue, the puppy yipped and batted Kaede's shoe with a tiny paw. "–humans who get eaten by ghouls, and ghouls who eat humans. If any other sort of creature existed, I'm sure the CCG would either eliminate them or force their kind into hunting ghouls in exchange for their lives."

Kaede had a vague understanding of what Ghouls were and what type of organization the CCG was–but she had never considered the thought that one day she, as the beginning stages of a race that clearly wasn't human (her mutations made it very clear that she wasn't human), would be considered just as or more dangerous than a Ghoul. Although her outward appearance remained standoff-ish, her heart pounded and her veins coursed with anxiety.

The boy tilted his head to the opposite side. "If you aren't human, what are you?"

The question contained the same amount of curiousity as before, but the tone was softer– almost caring.

( _It couldn't be. No one cared.)_

Kaede fists tightened. If she wasn't carefully, her fingernails would make her palms bleed.

"How am I supposed to know?! Better yet, why do you even care?!"

The boy's face abruptly became as near to blank as Kaede's expression normally was. Kaede repressed a shiver. "I'm just curious. Besides I thought it'd be nice to know the species of my future sister. Especially if she's near as human as I am."

Kaede barely had time to process the fact that this strange kid wanted her to be his playmate– thought his curiosity justified taking her with him – before his eyes changed color. As far as anyone at the orphanage knew, a Ghoul had never stepped foot on the grounds. Even though the adults were self-serving and negligent and just as bitter as the children they supposedly cared about, they did teach all the children to recognize the obvious signs of ghoulism–red and black eyes and tentacle-limbs protruding from random areas on the back. Kaede couldn't help but gasp and stumble back, nearly tripping over the puppy. The puppy barked once at it's human friend and then released a confused whine towards the boy–the ghoul child. Both inhuman creatures jolted as the orphanage's back door creaked open and slammed shut. It was the girl who helped clean Kaede's bag.

"Shuu! There you are! The grown-ups are looking everywhere for you!" The girl was facing the ghoul child's – Shuu, Shuu Tsukiyama – back so she couldn't see his unnatural eyes. Her eyes lit up when she saw Kaede. "Oh! So this is where you ran of to, Kaede!"

 _Kaede_ – not _Ox_ , or  _freak_ or  _horn-head_ or  _monster_ or _disgusting_...

Shuu's eyes returned to their normal (if one could say they were) color. Kaede's eyes narrowed as she entered deep thought. A chance to leave– _to escape_ – had presented itself. But it lead straight into a lion's den. Was leaving worth the cost of becoming a 'pet' to monsters?

_They're no more monsterous than you are._

The puppy barked and ran to the girl. " _Aw~!_ Kaede, is this your dog?" the girl cooed as she crouched and patted the dogs head. The puppy's tail wagged cheerfully.

Kaede's narrowed gaze traveled between the girl, the puppy and the ghoul child a few times before they stayed settled on Shuu. "I'll go with you....but on one condition."

The girl looked up from the canine. "Hm?"

Kaede's puppy barked.


End file.
